Drier



Mar.27,1923. 1,449,659.

A. DWORZAK.

DRIER.

FILED GCT. 26 1920 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,659,

A. DWORZAK.

DRIER.

FILED ocT.26. 1920. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2. y

515% /zb attorno/1J Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,659.

A. DWORZAK.

DRIER.

FILED ocT. 26, |920. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Snowdon VIaI. 27, 1923.. 1,449,659.

. A. DWORZAK.

DRIER.

FILED OCT. 25| 1920. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

nventoc @5% Ik atto/614012.*

Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES ADOLPH DWORZAK, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRIER.

Appucatio med october 2s, 1920. serial No. 419,661.

To all 'whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPH DwoRzAK, a citizen of Russia, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to driers, p-articularly for materials adapted to be loaded on suitable carriers, and has for its object to provide an efficiently constructed and reliably operating machine of this character, suitable for the treatment of a comparatively large amount of material in a chamber of relatively small and compact construction.

A typical satisfactory embodiment of the improved drier is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the entire drier sub- Stanially 0n line 1-1 of Fig. 2, the latter being a horizontal section in part (at the left) substantially on line 2`2 of Fig. 1, and in part (at the right) on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the conveyor forming part of the drier; Fig. 4 is a corresponding plan View, with parts in section; Fig. 5 is a corresponding. side elevation with parts in section; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a portion of the charging device, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 8; Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sections on lines 7-7 and 8-8 respectively of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a vertical section` on line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on line 10--10 of Fig. 11, showing a portion of the discharge device; Figs. 11` and 12 are vertical sections on lines 11-11 and 1212 respec- -tively of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a horizontal section on line 13-13 of Fig. 14, showing a valve which forms part of the machine; Fig. 14 is a vertical section on line lll-1&1 of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a vertical section on line 15-15 of Fig. 16, showing a detail of the drive of the charging device; Fig. 16 is a corresponding inverted plan View, and Fig. 17 a corresponding side elevation, looking from the left of Figs. 15 and 16; Fig. 18 is a bottom view of a wheel forming part of the mechanism shown in 15, 16, and 17; Fig. 19 is a plan view of a mechanism for driving the discharge device and for operating a valve in conjunction therewith;

.Fig 20 is a corresponding side elevation;

Fig. 21 is an inverted plan view of the parts shown at the left of Figs. 19 and 2.0; Figs.

22 and 23 are respectively an edge view and a face view of shown in Figs.- 19 and 20; Figs. 24 and 25 are respectively a face view and an edge View of certain-other wheels shown in Figs. 19 and 20; Fig. 26 is an elevation and Fig..l 27 a vertical 'section on line 27-27- of Fig. 26, showing the device for transmitting power from the main shaft to the driving mechanisms of the charging device and of the discharge device; Fig. 28 is a vertical section on line 28-28 of Fig. 29, of a s0- called vacuum valve operating in conjunction with the charging device; and Fig. 29 is a bottom view of the said vacuum valve.

The chamber l ofthe drier is within a casing constructed in any suitable manner, for instance with a concrete frame 2 reinforced by steel beams or members 3 and covered externally with metal sheathing 4, the joints 5 being soldered or made air-tight in any other suitable manner, so that a pressure below atmospheric pressure may be maintained in the chamber 1 when desired. At an appropriate point, the casing has an opening normally closed b-y an airtight door 6, upon the opening of which an attendant may enter the chamber 1 for making repairs or adjustments, for cleaning, etc. The chamber 1 communicates with a plurality of outlet pipes 7 extending through the casing, preferably at the top, for the escape of gases or vapors', and also for connection with a vacuum pump (not shown) when it is desired to operate under reduced pressure. At the bottom, the chamber 1 communicates with one or more pipes 8, preferably p rovided with valves (not shown) for draining liquid products for condensation and for cleaning purposes, the bottom of the chamber being preferably inclined toward the outlet or outlets 8.

VVit-hin the chamber 1 extend upper and lower steel beams 9 and 10 respectively, preferably horizontal or .approximately so, and on these beams are supported the bearings 11, 12 for transverse parallel horizontal certain wheels shafts 13, 14 respectively.- As shown in Fig. 2, a duplicate arrangement is provided in the chamber 1, although this is not essential; this duplicate arrangement however provides an aisle or passage in the longitudinal center of the chamber, and an attendant walking in this passage may readily inspect, clean,v and repair the two conveyors at opposite sides of the passage.- XThe upper bearings 11 are shown stationary, and the lower bearings 12 adjustable up and down to vary the tension of the conveyor chains to be described presently.

On each of the shafts 13, 14 aresecured rigidly sprocket wheels 15, 16 respectively, there being three sprocket wheels on each shaft, in the particular construction illustrated. All of these wheels are of the same diameter, and the upper shafts 13 are spaced from each other at distances equal to twice the working diameter of a sprocket wheel. The two lower shafts 14 at the ends of the lower series, are directly below the shafts 13 at the ends of the upper series, and these two lower shafts are at a level below that of the other (intermediate) lower shafts 14. These other lower shafts are disposed below the centers of the intervals between the upper shafts 13. By this alternating arrangement of the upper shafts and of the intermediate lower shafts, the endless chains 17, 18 passing in engagement with the sprocket wheels, are caused to form a series of vertical or upright runs and a horizontal run at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 1. The chains consists of links pivotally connected with each other, and their lower runs are preferably held horizontal by suitable supports or guides (not shown).-

Some of the link pivots serve as suspension pivots for cages 19, disposed in two'series for each of the two conveyors, between adjacent chains 17 or 18 of the same conveyor. Thus in Fig. 5 some of the link pivots are extended, as shown at 20, to connect the several chains of the same conveyor, and on these pivots or axles 20 are hung the said cages 19, in such a manner that each cage may turn freely relatively to said chains so that the cages will remain vertical notwithstanding the changing direction assumed by the chains as they pass from one part of the chamber 1 to another. Each cage 19 may consists of two parallel upright end plates 21 (preferably fastened to the respective pivot axles 20) and a suitable number of horizontal shelves 22 connecting said end plates. These shelves support the material to be dried, and may be made of any suitabley metal or substance, being enameled or made of non-corrosive matter when the character of the material to be dried renders this advisable.

The conveyors are driven. in the direction indicated by the arrows, in any suitable manner, for instance by providing worm wheels 23 on some of the sprocket wheel shafts 13. in mesh with worms 24 on a drive shaft. or main shaft 25 journaled in bearings 26, 27.

Any appropriate means may be employed for heating` the material traveling Within the chamber 1. for instance heating coils A (for steam or other heating medium) stationary within said chamber and preferably arranged in such a manner in the spaces between the vertical conveyor runs as to surround thecages traveling up or down, on said runs; a portion of these coils is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The device for charging the drier with the material under treatment is` indicated in its entirety by the numeral 28, and similarly the numeral 29 designates the device for discharging the material from the chamber 1 after treatment. These two devices are preferably located adjacent to each other, in registry with one of the upright conveyor runs, say at the end of the chamber 1 opposite to the door G. Gf course each of the conveyors has its own charging device and its individual discharge device.

The charging device comprises a funnel or hopper 30 (Fig. 1) in the tapering portion of which is located the rotary feed screw 31 secured rigidly on the upright shaft 32 driven in any suitable manner, preferably with a continuous movement. The material fed by said screw 31 passes on to a so-called reversible vacuum valve 33, which is mounted to turn about a horizontal axis and arranged to measure and transfer a definite quantity of material by connecting the chambers or pockets of the valve alternately with the feed space above (as in Fig. 1) and with the charging space below the valve, from which latter space ferred to the conveyor by the cake-forming device to be described presently. At 34 I have indicated a wheel forming part of the mechanism for drivinor the valve 33 continuously, preferabl from the main shaft 25. rllhe valve 33 (Figs. 1, 28 and 29) has two independent compartments 33', 33, each compartment containing a piston 33* movable toward and from the axis about which the valve turns, the two pistons being connected by. rods 33a in such a manner that when one piston is at the top of its compartment 33', the other piston will be at the bottom of the other compartment 33". The rods 33a slide through the valve partition 33".

The cake-forming device, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 35 (Fig. 1) is illustrated in detail by Figs. 6 to 9 and oomprises a casing 36 extending to both sides of the charging space 37 located below the valve 33, a cake-molder 38 movable horizontally into said space and to the right thereof, and a cake-pusher 39 movable in the same direction as the molder and adapted to enter the charging space 37 and to then pass to the left and to the right thereof, as ex )lained below. The cake-molder 38 has a plurality of shelves or horizontal partitions 38- having the same spacing as the shelves 22 of the `cages or carriers on which the material is supported (see Fig. 8), while the cake-pusher 39 has individual pushing members (conthe material is trans.

nected at the left-hand ends, Fig. 8) registeringwith the spaces between the partltions 38. Preferably, the casin 36 is provlded to the left of the charging c amber 37, Wlth guides 36 fitting between the individual members of the pusher 39. The cake-melder 38 is provided withtwo horizontal racks 40, one at each side, in engagement with pinions 41, one of which is secured rigidly to a transverse shaft 42 j ournaled in stationary bearings, and the other rigidly to a hollow shaft 43 surrounding the shaft 42 at a distance. The cake-pusher 39 has-at its bottom a central horizontal rack 44 in mesh with apinion 45 rigid on a tubular shaft 46 fitted between the shafts 42 and 43. At 47,-48, and 49 I have indicated stationary ides forholding the cage or carrier stea y at the time it is in the registering position (Fi 8) to receive the cakes of material. On t e shaft -42 is secured rigidly a pinion 50 (Figs. 1 5,

16 and 17), while pinions 51 and 52 are secured rigidly to the shaft 43. Pinion is in mesh with a pinion 54 rigid on a shaft 55 journaled in stationaryI bearings, and this shaft also carries rigidly a pinion 53 in mesh with the pinion 52. On the shaft 46 are secured rigidly the pinions 56 and 5.7 v The pinion 50 is also adapted to mesh with toothed sectors 58 connected with each other rigidly and located diametrically opposite each other, as shown best in Fig. 18, each sector having an extent of The pinion 51 is adapted to mesh with the sector 59, of an angular extent of 120, connected rigidly with the sectors 58, and located inl the circumferential interval between them. The pinions 56 and 57 are adapted to mesh (but only one at a time) with a toothed sector 60, corresponding to the sector 59 in position and angular extent, and rigidly connected with the sectors 58, 59. As illustrated, the sectors 58, 59, 60 are formed on a wheel 61 mounted to turn about a vertical axis, the horizontal shafts 42, 43, 46 and 55 being supported in a frame 62, which'also has a step bearin 63 for the vertical shaft 64 held tovturn wit the wheel 61, said shaft being also journaled in a stationary arm 65.

The discharge device (Figs. l0, 11, and 12) comprises a valve 66 consisting of a stationary frame 67 with an intermediate chamber 68, a sliding door or gate 69 movable vertically adjacent; to the inner wall of said chamber (that is to say, the wall next to the drying chamber 1).,.say by means of rack teeth on. said gate engaged by a pinion 70 rigid on a shaft 71, and an outer sliding door or gate 72 movable vertically adjacent to the outer wall of the chamber-68, say by means of rack teeth on said gate, in mesh with a pinion 73 rigid on a shaft 74. vRubber gas.- kets 75, .76 are provided to obtain tlght joints where the gates 69,'72 respectively slide on the frame 67. The guides 47, 48

and 49 also hold the cage or carrier steady in the discharge position. The opening 68 by which the chamber 68 communicates Wlth the drying chamber 1 when the inner gate 69 is raised as in Fig. 11, is of a height and width corresponding to the size of a cage or carrier, and the bottom of said chamber is inclined downwardlytoward its outer or zontally'sliding pusher 77 may be operated by means of racks 78 rigidly secured thereto and meshing with pinions 79 on a transverse shaft 80.

For operating the discharge valve 66, `I

provide a mutilated pinion 82 (Figs. 19, 20, 22 and 23), secured 'rigidly to the shaft 74, and a similar mutilated pinion 84 is se cured rigidly to the parallel shaft 71. These pinions are adapted to mesh, at opposite sides of their faxes, withmutilated gears 85 and 86 respectively, secured rigidly to a horizontal shaft 87. This shaft carries rigidly a bevel pinion 88 in mesh with a like pinion 89 on a vertical drive shaft 90. The shafts 71, 74, and 87 are journaled in a stationary bracket 91, the adjoining portions ofthe shafts 87, 90 being journaled in arms 92, 93 respectively.

The briquette pusher 77 is operated by means of two toothed sectors (of 180 each) on a mutilated gear 94 rigid with the shaft 90, said sectors meshing respectively with two pinions 95, 96 secured rigidly to the shaft 80. This part of the mechanismis held in proper position by the stationary arms 97, 98, having bearings for the shafts 90, 80 respectively.

The shafts 64 and 90 are operated from the mai'n shaft or drive shaft 25 in any suit- Vable manner, a preferred form of transmission mechanism being illustrated by Figs. 26 and .27. As shown in these figures, the stationary frame 99, provided with an upper bracket 100 and lower brackets 101 for attaching it to the machine, has bearings for the upper portions of said shafts 64, 90, to which latter are secured rigidly bevel pinions 102 and 103 respectively. The pinion 103 meshes with a like pinion 104, and the pinion 102 with bevel -pinion teeth on a gear 105, both said gear and the bevel pinion 104 Vbeing secured rigidly to a horizontal shaft 106. The gear 105 has spur teeth on its en- 'tire periphery, meshing at times with the teeth on the periphery of a mutilated spur gear 107, the teeth of said gear 107 covering an arc of 120. The gear 107 is connected rigidly with a spur pinion 107', rotating therewith about an axle or shaft 108, and meshing with a mutilated wheel 109 which in unison with they pinion 109 rotates about a. shaft or axle 110. Similarly, the pinion 109 meshes with a mutilated spur gear 111, rotating in unison with a spur pinion 111',

about an axle or shaft 112. Again, the pin- 120, as stated above, the teeth of the muti.

lated gears 109 and 111 extend over arcs of 60 only, and the relative positions of the several toothed arcs are such as to produce, at a certainstage of the operation, the position illustrated by Fig. 26. y l

In connection with the intermediate chamber 68 of the discharge device, I employ a` valve mechanism (Figs. 11, 13, 14, 19, and 20) constructed and actuated as follows: Each of the mutilated gears 85, 86 is provided with a projection 85', 86 respectively, the two projections being set diametrically opposite in Figs. 19 and 20, and adapted to engage and shift at times an actuating lever 81 fulcrumed at its center upon the bracket 91, about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the Shaft 87. By means of the central arm 81 shown in Fig. 20, this lever is connected operatively with a crank arm 83 on the shaft 83 of the valve plug 117 (Figs. 13 and 14), which a spring 118 holds tightly against a seat in the valve casing 119. The interior of the hollow plug 117 is in permanent communication with the chamber 68, by means l of a pipe 120 extending from the casing 119.

Furthermore, the casing has two ports (shown diametrically opposite each other) one of which by means of a connecting pipe 121 communicates lwith the interior of the drying chamber 1, while from the other a connecting pipe 122 leads to the outside air. The plug 117 has two ports 117 adapted to register with said casing ports and connecting pipes, at different times, according to the position given to the plug by the action of the projections 85', 86 on the rocking lever 81. In the particular construction shown, the plug 117 is given a movement of 45,

first in one direction and then in the other, t

and the two ports 11T are therefore 135 apart; but it will be understood that I do not restrict myself to this specific arrangement.

The operation of the drier is as follows: The main shaft 25 being rotated continuously, as well as the feed screw 31 and the vacuum valve 33, and the interior of the drier being heated by the coil A, or in any other suitable manner (as by introducing a heating agent, say hot air, directly into the chamber 1), the moist material to be dried is supplied to the hopper 30 in any suitable tion shown in Fig. 8.

This material is powdered or granular, or in any event loose enough to be properly fed by the screw 31. During such times as neither of the piston chamber compartments` 33' is in position to receive thc material forced downward by the screw 31, such material will simply be moved or churned in the hopper 30, but as soon as the slow rotation of the valve 33 brings one of the compartments 33 into communication with the hopper 30 (the other, temporarily lower, compartment att-he same time coming into registry with the charging space or chamber 37) the feed screw 31 will crowd the material into such temporarily upper compartment 33. The pistons 33* are fitted airtight, or substantially so; thus a vacuum may be maintained in the drying chamber 1 at all times, the chamber 37 at no time being in direct communication with the outside air. The downward pressure of the material forced into the upper compartment 33 forces the upper piston 33* down in said compartment, and .through the rods 33 a like downward motion is imparted to the lower piston 33*, thus expelling into the chamber 37, any material which has been driven into the other, temporarily lower, compartment 33 ata preceding stage. At the time of such transfer of the material from the valve 33 to the chamber 37, the parts of the charging device' are in the position illustrated by Figs. 6 and 8. chamber 37 having received its charge, the cake molder 38 moves toward the left, into the chamber 37, so as to be contiguous to the pusher 39, and the material in said chamber 37 is thus formed into cakes corresponding in size, number and position, to the shelves 22of one of the cages or carriers of the con veyor traveling in the drying chamber 1. Thereupon the pusher 39 and the molder 38, remaining in the same relative position, together move toward the right a distance suficient to bring the molder, with the cakes in its compartments, directly between the shelves 22 of the cage or carrier 19 which at that time is in registry, that is to say, approximately in the position illustrated by Fig. 8. Then for a short time the pusher 39 remains stationary between the shelves 22, while the molder 38 retreats or moves to the left a half stroke, that is, to the posi- Since at this time the right-hand end of the pusher 39 is substantially in the same vertical plane in which the right-hand end of the molder 38 is shown in Fig. 8, the partitions 38 of the molder will pass between the individual members of the pusher, and the individual cakes, being. in engagement with said stationary pusher members, will not be able to follow the movement of the retreating molder 38, but will be deposited on the shelves 22. Thereupon the pusher 39 re- Thetreats toward the left, to its original position shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The conveyor moves very slowly, fas' compared with the movements of the charging device, so thatl the travel of the cage 19 during the chargmechanism shown in Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18, 26-

and 27 is such as to cause the charging device to be operated intermittently, in the manner described above, said device remaining stationary while the conveyor moves to bring the next cage or carrier 19 to the receiving or filling position. The particular mechanism has its wheels 113, 111, 109, 107 of like diameters, six times =as large as the pinions 111', 109', 107 all three of which are of the same diameter, the diameter of the wheel 105 being one-third of that of the wheel 107. With the shaft 25 driven continuously, the wheel 111 will rotate continuously, but only for one-sixth of a'revolution will the wheel 111 be in mesh with the pinion 109', thus giving the latter and the wheel 109 a comp-lete revolution,` followed by a period of rest lasting ive times as long as said revolution. Similarly, as the muti# lated wheel 109 rotates intermittently, only one-sixth of a revolution of said wheel will drive the pinion 107', thus giving the latter and the wheel 107 a complete revolution, followed by a period of rest lasting five times as long asv said complete revolution. Finally, the wheel 107 will, during one-third of its revolution, be in mesh with the pinion 105, thus giving the latter, as well as the shafts 64 and 90, d riven b it, at the same angular velocity, a comp ete revolution, followed by a period of rest (during the continued turning of the wheel 107) lasting twice as long as said complete revolution of the wheel 105. On account of the intermittent rotation of the wheels 109 and 107, the period of rest between successive revolutions of the wheel 105 will last onehundred and seven times as long as the complete revolution of said wheel 105.

Each complete revolution of the shaft 64 and of the wheel 61 carried thereby (Figs. 15 to 18) will produce the following re sults: First, during one-sixth of a revolution, one of the sectors 58 (at the right in Figs. 15, 16 and 18) in mesh with the pinion 50, will rotate the shaft 42 through a a definite angle (a complete revolution, or

more, or less), and at the same time, by

means of the gearing 54, 55, 53, 52, the shaft 43 will be given exactly the same amount of rotation as the shaft 42, and the pinions 41 on said shaftsV will operate the racks 40 to give the cake molder 38 its initial movement (to the left) described above.

At the end of this one-sixth of a revolution,

the sectors 59 and 60 will come into mesh with the pinions 51 and 56 respectively and during the succeeding one-third of a revolution will drive said pinions and their shafts 43 and 46 lrespectively through the same definite angle. The pinion 45 on said shaft 46 will operate the rack 44 to give the pusher 39 its first movement (to the right), such movement or long stroke bein twice the short stroke of the molder 38 durmg the preceding one-sixth of a revolution. At the same time, the motion of the shaft 43 will be transmitted to the shaft 42 by the gearing 53, 55, 54, and the pinions 41 on said shafts will operate the racks 40 to give the molder 38 a stroke to the right, of the same length as the stroke of the pusher 39, so

half-stroke of the same extent and the'same direction (to the left) as during the first short stroke, but this second short stroke will start from a different point, so that at the end of the second shortstroke the molder will be in its original position, as described above. Two-thirds of a revolution having thus been accomplished,- the sector 60 comes into mesh with the pinion 57, and during the remaining one-third of a revolution will drive the shaft 46 through the same angle as before, but in the opposite direction, thus giving the pusher 39 a long stroke toward the left and bringing it back to its original position.

The cages 19 with the cakes of material on their shelves 22, travel slowly within the drying chamber 1,'and in the example illustrated, the cages or carriers move upward on the vertical conveyor run adjacent to the charging and discharge devices, to then travel alternately downward and upward on the other upright runs, and horizontally on the lower or return run. The motion is so timed as to insure a proper dry condition of the material by the time it reaches the discharge device.

The operation of the discharge device (Fi s. 10 to 14) by the mechanism shown 1n Bgigs. 19 to 25, takes place as follows, it being remembered that at each discharge operation the shaft 90 (and the shaft 87) is given one complete revolution: First, the

projection `86 w1ll'engage the lever 81 and 68 with the outside air (pipe 120 in communication with pipe 122), to the. position illustrated by Figs. 13 and 14, 1n. which the pipe 120 is connected with the pipe 121, placing the chamber 68 in communication with the drying chamber 1. Figs. 19 and 20 illustrate the position of the parts at this moment. While the chamber 38 was in communication with the outside air, the inner gate 69 was held tightly against the gaskets 75 by the vacuum in the chamber 1, but as soon as the chamber 1 communicates with chamber 68, the pressure becomes the same on both sides of the gate 69, so that it may be moved easily; on the other hand, the vacuum or suction will become effective in the chamber 68 to hold the outer gate 72 tightly against the gasket 76. At this time, the mutilated gear 85 comes into mesh with the pinion 84 and by thus operating the shaft 71 raises the inner gate 69 to the open position. Immediately thereafter, one of the sectors of the mutilated gear 94 comes into meshwith the pinion 95 and through the rotation of the shaft 80 moves the briquette pusher 77 outwardly to transfer the cakes of dried material from the shelves 22 to the chamber 68. The other sector ofy the mutilated vgear 94 meshes with the pinion 96.

so as` to rotate the shaft 8O in the opposite direction and movethe pusher 77 toward the right, or inwardly, to its initial position. In the construction illustrated,the pusher 77 even when at the end of its outward stroke, is clear of the path of the inner gate 69. At the same time that the said pusher 77 returns to its original position, the gate 69 is released by mutilated gear 85 coming out of mesh with the pinion 84, so that the gate 69 drops to the closed position. Thereupon the projection 85 engages the lever 81 and swings it back to its original position, bringing the valve plug 117 to the normal position in which the chamber 68 is in communication with the outside air. The vacuum in the drying chamber then again presses the inner gate 69 against the gaskets 75, but the pressure being equalized on both sides of the outer gate 72, this latter gate can move easily, At this time, the mutilated gear 86 comes into mesh with the pinion 82, and by thus operating the shaft 74 raises the outer gate 72 to the open position and allows the cakes of dried material to slide out along the inclined bottom of the Achamber 68. Finally, the gate 72 is released by mutilated gear 86 comingout of mesh with the pinion 82, and said gate 72 drops to its normal closed position, all the parts of the discharge device having then resumed their original position.

The specific embodiment of my invention described above is designed for the drying of moist granular or pulverulent substances, but it will be understood that the apparatus may be used for other materials, by employing carriers as well as charging and d1scharging devices of other constructions appropriate to the particular materials to be dried, as fruits, vegetables, etc. Various modifications, therefore, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims. I desire it to be particularly understood that it is by no means necessary in all cases to apply heat during the drying operation or treatment of the material. Especially when the treatment is carriedrout under a partial vacuum (pressure below atmospheric pressure), an etlicient drying operation may be obtained without heating, in many cases.v

The term drying is to be understood as covering partial drying of animal, mineral, or lvegetable substances, including the socalled dehydrating of fruits, vegetables, and mineral matter. Also, while I have referred particularly to the removal of moisture, it will be understood that in some cases other effects may be secured by passing the material through the treatment chamber, with or without application of heat. The apparatus is of especial advantage when t-he material is of such character (as vin the case of fruits and vegetables) that it would be affected injuriously if moved manually' by an attendant, instead of mechanically.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for treating materials, comprising a treatment chamber, an endless travelling conveyor located entirely in said chamber, guides by which said conveyor is formed into a series of adjacent rims moving alternately in opposite directions and a return run connecting the end runs of said series, suspended carriers connected with the conveyor pivotally at regular intervals, a charging device located adjacent to one of said end runs and co-operating with the carriers on said run, a discharge devzice for removing from the same end run, the material fed to such run by said charging device, and operatively connected means for actuating the conveyor as Well as the charging device and the discharging device.

2. An apparatus for treating materials, comprising a treatment chamber, a traveling conveyor therein having a plurality of runs, carriers connected with said conveyor, a charging device located on one side of a run of the conveyor, to supply said carriers with the material to be treated, and a discharge device located on the other side of the same run of said conveyor to remove the treated material from said carriers.

3. An apparatus for treating materials, .comprising a treatment chamber, a traveling conveyor therein, carriers connected with said conveyor and each comprising a plurality of superposed shelves, a charging device for supplying said shelves with the ius lmaterial to be treated, and a discharge detreatment chamber and the discharge chamber, an outer gate controlling an outlet for the material from the discharge chamber, means for operating said valve and said gates successively, and a discharge member, having a plurality of portions to engage the material on the several shelves on a carrier which is in the discharge position and to push such material through the open inner gate into said discharge chamber.

4. An apparatus for treating without disturbing them, materials which are affected injuriously by manipulation, said apparatus comprising a treatment chamber made of concrete suitably reinforced and lined eX- teriorly with metal sheathing made airtight to enable a pressure below atmospheric pressure to be maintained in said chamber, a traveling conveyor located in said chamber and comprising a pluralty of upright runs connected so that adjacent runs will travel in opposite directions, rotary upper and lower guides in engagement with said conveyor` runs and a return run connecting the end runs of the upright series, such conveyor consisting of a plurality of like members located side by side, pivots connecting Such members at intervals, carriers suspended freely from said pivots and located between said members to carry the material in undisturbed condition, and means for automatically charging said carriers with the material from the exterior of said chamber and for automatically discharging the material from said carriers to the exterior of said chamber without affecting the pressure conditions in the interior of the chamber.

5. An apparatus for treating materials,

'said discharge chamber alternately with the outside air and, with the treatment chamber, a movable inner gate controlling an additional ycommunication between the treatment chamber and the discharge chamber, an outer gate controlling an outlet for the material from the discharge chamber, means for operating said valve land said gates successively, and means for transferring the material from the conveyor to the discharge chamber when the inner gate is open.

6. An apparatus for treating materials, comprising a treatment chamber, a traveling conveyor located in said chamber for carrying the material to different parts of the chamber, and a discharge device comprising a discharge chamber adjacent to the treatment chamber, a valve for connecting' said discharge chamber alternately with the outside air and with the treatment chamber, amovable inner gate controlling an additional communication between the treatment chamber and the discharge chamber,

an outer gate controlling an outlet from the discharge chamber. and means for operating said valve and said gates successively.

7. An apparatus for treatingv materials, comprising a treatment chamber, a traveling conveyor for carrying the material under treatment, to different parts of said chamber, a discharge chamber adjacent to the treatment chamber, means for establishing in said discharge chamber alternately, the same pressure as that of the outside air, and the same pressure as in the treatment chamber, and additional means controlling the passage ofthe material from the treatment chamber to the discharge chamber and from the latter to the outside.

8. An apparatus for treating materials under a partial vacuum, comprising an airtight chamber in which a pressure below ati' mospheric pressure may be maintained, a endless conveyor for carrying the material under treatment through said chamber, a discharge chamber adjacent to said treatment chamber, means for establishing in said discharge chamber alternately, the same pressure as that of the outside air, and the same pressure as in the treatment chamber, and' additional means' controlling the passage of the material from the treatment chamber to the discharge chamber and froml the latter to the outside.

In testimony whereof I have signed this i specification. 

